The Buckeye Bar and Grill is packed with Ohio State memorabilia. Image courtesy of discoveringohio.com.

Since all of Buckeye Nation is kicking off a new year with the start of OSU football it seems only appropriate to take the opportunity to have some Buckeye grub in a place baring the name â€Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill.â€

I revisited the spot that I had not sampled for some time and can report that things are still Buckeye centric. Located at 900 Goodale Boulevard in Grandview Yard, it is the successor to the venerable establishment on Olentangy River Road which was demolished to make room for a new hotel.

Much of the memorabilia from the old location now resides there. It is a large and pleasant place with an outdoor patio and an appropriately large bar with multiple big screen TVâ€™s and a mini Brutus doll enshrined there. And the food is good decent bar food.

Wings and things, multiple sandwiches and wraps and of course, burgers. I had the Buckeye Burger, what else, which was an eight ounce patty they cooked to my preferred doneness of medium rare. It was topped with grilled onion and melted blue cheese and served with a mustard mayo sauce. I choose to forego the bun and have it on a bed of iceberg. Kettle chips, peanut coleslaw or smashed potatoes are served with it for $9.99.

The Buckeye Burger can be served many dfiferent ways including on a bed of lettuce instead of a bun. Photo by Rich Terapak Sr.

There are several other burger choices including a vegetarian. Entrees range from $28.99 for the ribeye to $13.99 for the fish tacos. Sides are ala carte for $3.99 and include both sweet and French fries, black beans, onion straws among several others. There are several salad offerings, but missing was one of my former favorites, a shredded rotisserie chicken over spring mix greens, maybe too healthy to garner enough interest to stay on the menu. But it would be nice to have back.

It is a big menu with lots of appetizers, a daily soup and lunch combos of soup or salad with the usual selection of half sandwiches.

They have only three dessert offerings and the closest thing to a Buckeye Ball is the Buckeye Pieâ€”share it with a friend for $6.49. Of course there is a full bar with multiple brews. All in all not a bad place for a diehard fan to take in the game with kindred spirits, close, but out of the stadium weather.

You can call in a reservation or order at 614-29-Woody! You expected less?

The senior Rich Terapak has been the resident restaurant reviewer for WOSU 89.7 for more than 15 years. He has taught cooking as a hobby for over 35 years, first with Jim Budros and for the last 30 plus with Steve Stover. (All of whom are amateurs, but zealots none the less.)
Rich has been involved in menu planning for countless charitable events for decades and has often cooked for them as well. He has served as chair or honorary chair for several food related events, most recently as chairs with his wife, Roberta, along with his son and daughterâ€“in-law, Rich and Cindy, for the granddaddy of them all, the CORA Food and Wine Gala for 2012.
In his professional life Rich is a partner with the law firm of Porter Wright in Columbus and co-chairs the Health Care practice there.